In 2019 a vaccination against the HIV virus was discovered and developed and issued to every man woman and child on the planet. In 2041 and the vaccination genetically mutated into the T-Cell Clone virus. A virus that lays dormant in the blood stream until people touch and activates it kills men instantaneously and takes 12 months (at most) to kill a woman. The population of the planet is reduced from 7 billion to 7 million within the space of a year. In 2101 there is only one populated city left on the planet. A city divided in half, the Live City and the Dead City. Legislation dictates that once someone contracts the virus they are transported to the Dead City, given an apartment and live out the remainder of their short lives there until dead. EVEAN JAMES in his late 30s works in the Dead City, checking apartment buildings for dead victims and burning their bodies. It?s a job that weighs heavily on him, he?s racked with guilt and in the midst of an existential crisis. He goes to the doctors for his thrice weekly check up for any signs of virus activation and while there he sets eyes on ADA GREEN also in her late 30s. Love at first sight? They form a friendship
Only to learn she has moved into the apartment next to him and asks him out for a drink. Initially he refuses, but then has a change of heart.
They develop a friendship and Evean comforts Ada after a bomb explodes at her place of work, she?s an administration clerk at one of the many Artificial Insemination Clinics across the live city. An effort to increase the population, an effort that is failing miserably, but you wouldn?t know it watching the weekly population reports on the TV news. A religious rapture cult named CAP (Christians Against Procreation) claims responsibility for the bombing and warns of more.
Evean and Ada spend a day together and go to a bookstore who?s owner secretly stocks banned fiction, romantic novels, bodice rippers and sex guides they were banned in a piece of legislation that hoped to prevent people getting ideas. While there, the bookshop is raided and a chase ensues. Ada gets shot in the process and despite himself Evean grabs her by the hand. The protection suit doesn?t help in this case as it is designed with air holes to let the skin breathe and Ada?s blood seeps through touching Evean?s skin. He doesn?t die as a result. Does he have the virus? Is he immune? Is she immune? Ada wants to escape the city and avoid being hauled off to the Dead City. Evean thinks it?s more sensible if they wait for their check ups. A tense, worrying period of days. They discover the virus is dormant. Thus giving them the freedom to explore their relationship in more physical ways.
While at work, processing new arrivals to the dead city, Evean is attacked by one of the virus victims, stabbed and touched, his co worker discovers this natural immunity and Evean pleads with him not to say anything to the authorities.
But Sam does give him away and Evean is carted off by the authorities for tests. Meanwhile Ada discovers she is pregnant and she too is carted off to the same medical facility.
After initial testing it is found that Evean is part of a unique 5th blood group outside of the basic. A B AB and O, which explains his immunity. But he?s the only one with this freak blood group. He is asked to make a ?donation? but his sperm won?t take in artificial circumstances and the medical authorities conclude that conception can only be achieved by natural insemination as evidenced by Ada?s pregnancy.
Evean refuses to be unfaithful to Ada and refuses to be treated like some sort of stud. But the medical authorities have a card to play. The manipulate Ada into severing their attachment, threatening to charge her with treason and murder, they have evidence that places her at all three terrorist bombings of AIC, a shop, and the only skin suit production facility. Ada, feeling a duty to save the human race does indeed sever ties with Evean. Which destroys Evean making him act rashly. He escapes the medical facility and plans to run away, leave the city and the human race behind. He drives through the city streets, all chaos ensues. CAP has infiltrated and released all the Dead City residents and they run riot, killing via touch anyone in the Live city. Soldiers can do little because of the reduced man power. Evean runs through it all detached, uncaring, until he reaches the City border, which is now manned by only one solider. He?s faced with a final decision? The Solider aims at him, asking him to get out of the car. At that same moment Evean receives a phone call? it?s the medical authorities and Ada wanting to speak to him. But before he can hear this plea the Solider fires off warning shots, muting the voice on the phone. So surprised he drops the phone and as the Solider gets closer? Evean drives through the border and out of the city? He drives north through the ghost towns and baron fields as the population of the city behind him slowly dwindles? He ends up on a beach, racked with guilt and alone?
5 years later. He?s set up shop in a small house in Northern Scotland and lives a life of isolation. When one day Ada and their 5 year old daughter appear on the beach. They all walk off together, but is it real or a daydream?